(a) The clerk of the superior court is required to procure and preserve for public inspection a complete file of all newspaper issues in which his advertisements actually appear.

(b) The issues of the newspapers so preserved shall be bound, microfilmed, photostated, or photographed and such newspapers, microfilm, photographs, or photostatic copies shall be maintained within the county courthouse for a period of not less than 50 years, after which time the newspapers, microfilm, photographs, or other photostatic copies may be destroyed, at the discretion of the clerk of the superior court.

(c) The clerk of the superior court is authorized to enter into an agreement with either the judge of the probate court or the sheriff of the county, or both, relative to the binding, retention, microfilming, photographing, or photostating of the newspapers and their preservation and retention, in which event it shall be necessary that only one set of newspapers or copies thereof shall be retained in the county courthouse. Such set of newspapers or copies thereof shall include copies of the newspaper issues in which the clerk's advertisements appear and the newspaper issues in which the advertisements which the judge of the probate court or the sheriff, or both, are required to preserve and retain appear. The agreement shall specify the person who shall maintain and preserve the newspapers, microfilm, photographs, or photostatic copies.